What could be more nutritious for your bones, than a broth made from BONES? Why bones? Because they are rich in collagen and minerals! Bones are made up of a flexible collagen matrix which is then mineralized by calcium and phosphate, giving bone its strength and density. Bones are also the storage facility for the many other minerals needed by the body, including minerals needed for bone metabolism, like magnesium. The marrow of the bone hosts vitamin A, vitamin K2, and minerals like zinc, iron, boron, manganese and selenium as well as omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Eating bones would be a little tough, but we can access their valuable nutrients by making a broth. By slowly simmering bones in a pot of water with a little added vinegar, you can extract the collagen and minerals from the bones making a broth rich in many bone building nutrients. The breakdown of bones during the cooking process also makes a broth abundant in amino acids that help maintain muscle tissue, promote healthy digestion and reduce inflammation throughout the body. All important factors in supporting bone health!
Broths made from bones have been used though out history to provide nourishment and sustenance, but also for medicinal and health benefits. Beyond your bones, check out the many ways bone broth supports your over all and well-being.
The Bountiful Benefits of Bone Broth
1. Supports good gut health and promotes healthy digestion.
2. Great source of natural collagen with chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine which help to reduce joint pain and inflammation.
3. Contains amino acids that have anti-inflammatory effects through out the body, which is especially important for people with chronic inflammation or auto-immune disorders.
4. Since 70-80% of the body’s immune system is in the gut, supporting a healthy gut, in turn, supports a healthy immune system.
5. Supports natural detoxification by helping the digestive system expel waste and promote liver health and function.
6. The abundance of amino acids help support muscle function and repair
7. The collagen and gelatin in bone broth support healthy hair and strong nails.
Here is a great recipe for Home Made Chicken Broth
Some times, instead of using a whole uncooked chicken, I will use the bones from a roasted chicken after eating up all the yummy meat!
Ingredients
1 whole free-range chicken or2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones, and wings
Gizzards from one chicken (optional)
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons vinegar
¾ inch peel of 1 large white potato, discard the center
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley
Please note the addition of vinegar. The vinegar helps leech all those valuable minerals from the bones into the stockpot water, which is ultimately what you’ll be eating. The goal is to extract as many minerals as possible out of the bones into the broth water. Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar is a good choice as it’s unfiltered and unpasteurized.
Cooking Directions
- Fill up a large stockpot (or large crockpot) with pure, filtered water.
- Add vinegar and all vegetables except parsley to the water.
- Place the whole chicken or chicken carcass into the pot.
- Bring to a boil, and remove any scum that rises to the top.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let simmer.
- If cooking a whole chicken, after the meat begins to separate from the bone, remove the chicken from the pot and separate the meat from the bones. Place the carcass back into the pot and continue simmering the bones for another 12-24 hours.
- If cooking bones only, simply let them simmer for about 24 hours.
- Add the fresh parsley about 10 minutes before finishing the stock, as this will add healthy mineral ions to your broth.
- Remove remaining bones from the broth with a slotted spoon and strain the rest through a strainer to remove any bone fragments.
Simmering bones over low heat for an entire day will create one of the most nutritious and healing foods there is. You can use this broth for soups, stews, or drink it straight. The broth can also be frozen for future use. Keep in mind that the “skin” that forms on the top is the best part. It contains valuable nutrients, such as sulfur, along with healthful fats, so just stir it back into the broth.
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